Atomizing device



June 10, HQLMQE ETAL ATOMIZING DEVICE Fileduune 15, 1938 l .I II..

Patented `lune 10, 1941 ATBIIZING DEVCE naromnolmboe, chicago, and Assyn. casper,

Crestwood, Ill.

Application June 15, 1938, Serial No. 213,842

7 Claims.

The invention relates. to: apparatus for atomizing liquids and has'particular reference to an improvedlubricating devicev for pneumatictools and the like.

An object of the inventionl resides in the 4provision of an atomizingdevice for lubricating pneumatic tools Whichwill ibe simple inconstruction, embodying relatively few parts, which can be inserted andremoved as a unit from the reservoir of said tool, and Which willeiTeotively regulate the quantity of oil delivered tothe air stream forlubricating the workingA parts of said tool.

With these and Various other objects in View, the invention may consistof certain novel features of construction and operation, as will ybemore fully describedy and particularly pointed out in the specification,drawing and claims appended hereto. n

In the drawing which ill-ustrates an embodiment -of the device andwherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts-Figure 1 is an elevational View of the headv of a pneumatic tool, partsbeing shown in section to better illustrate the construction andlocation of the atomizing device comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is a View similar toFigure ly but showing a modied form ofatomizing device incorporated in theheadof a pneumatic tool;

Figure 3 is a bottom .plan view of the structure shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 ofFigure 3.

Referring to the drawing, particularly Figures l and 2, the referencenumeral I indicates the head portion-of a pneumatic tool such as achipping hammer which is provided with an interior recess I I havingthreads I2 by which the head of the tool is securedto the body portionthereof. The handle i4 which is integral with the head portion of thetool. is providedwith a trigger or valve actuating lever, not shown, bywhich the supply of compressed air to the tool is regulated and which isdelivered thereto through the compressed airv passage I5 extendingthrough handle i4 and into the head portion of the tool.

The head of the tool is recessed at IB, providing a reservoir forlubricating oil which is admitted to said recess through an inletnormally closed by the threaded mem-ber I'I. The bottom of said recessor oil reservoir is closed by the nut I8. For lubricating the presentpneumatic tool provision is madeV for supplying the/oil from thereservoir to the` air stream which forms a vehicle for the lubricatingoil carrying the oil to the F."

supplied during the operation of the tool.

moving parts of the tool. It is desirable that the lubricating oil 4besupplied to the tool in relatively small amounts and that the supplybecontinuous during the operation of the tool. The atomizing device ofthe invention eifectively regulates the quantity of oil delivered to theair stream and maintains a constant supply during operation. Thisstructure will now be described.

The atomizing ydevice essentially consists of spaced discs or `capillarymembers 20 and 2| which are secured to each other by securing means 22.It will be observed that the lower member 26 has a close t within thebase of the reservoir I6 and therefore this capillary member forms thebottom of the reservoir. The upper member 2| is somewhat less indiameter than the recess forming the oil reservoir and accordingly aspace exists around the periphery of said upper member which is incommunication with the capillary space between said members. The upypermember 2l is integral with the stem 23' which extends upwardly into thehandle portion I4" so that the upper end of said'stem projects into theair passage I5. The bore 24 extends the length of the stem 23 havingcommunication at its lower end with the capillary space and terminatingin a horizontally disposed opening 25, which opens into the air passageI5.

In the operation of the pneumatic tool equipped with the atomizingdevice of the invention the flow of compressed air through passage I 5will be partly obstructed by the projecting end 23 of the stem23. Thisend 26 of the stem has been purposely located Within the air passage forobstructing the airvstream and to thereby produce a suction effect atthe opening 25 communicating with the bore 24, which in turn leads tothe capillary space. Since the oil from the reservoir I5 is supplied tosaid capillary space at all points around its periphery the oil will bedrawn into said space and as the suction continues said oil will becaused to enter the .bore 24. Eventually the -oil will be injected intothe air stream owing through passage I5.

In the drawing the space between the discs or capillary members 20 andZI has been necessarily exaggerated for clearance since in the actualconstruction of the present lubricator the distance between saidcapillary members may be several thousandths of an inch. Therefore .oil

lfrom the reservoir will flow into said space by capillary attractionand which therefore maintains just the proper quantity of oil forinjection into the air stream and which is continuously The presentatomizing device therefore eiectively regulates the supply oflubricating oil to the working parts of the pneumatic tool and whichwill function irrespective of the position of the tool since thecapillary attraction provided by said members does not depend on whetherthe same are horizontally or vertically disposed. Since pneumatic toolsof the type mentioned in this application are portable it follows thatthe oil within the reservoir will be in constant movement duringoperation and at times in a state of turbulence. Therefore, irrespectiveof whether the capillary members are located in the base of thereservoir or in the top of the reservoir they will be immersed in theoil intermittently or at least said members will be partly immersed attimes during the operation of the tool. This contact of the capillarymembers with the oil is sufficient to maintain at all times an adequatesupply of oil in the capillary space therebetween.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 show a modiiied form of atomizing device in which thelower capillary member 3 comprises the bottom closure for the oilreservoir and which has formed integral therewith the stem 33 extendinginto the handle portion It. 'I'he upper capillary mem-ber 3i is iittedto stem 33 and properly spaced with respect to member 30 so as to form acapillary space therebetween. Passage 32 leads from this capillary spaceto the bore 34 in the stem and which terminates in the horizontallydisposed opening 35 communicating with the air passage I5.

The operation of the modified form of atomizing device is the same asthat described with respeci; to Figure 1. The compressed air flowingthrough passage i5 is partly obstructed by the end 35 of the stem 33which projects into the passage and accordingly a suction effect isproduced at the opening 35. This opening communicates with the capillaryspace through the vertical bore 35 and the passage 32 and therefore oilfrom said capillary space is caused to be injected into the air stream.

In the structure of Figure l the atomizing device is unitary and can beeasily removed from the reservoir as a unit. Of course, the nut I8 mustfirst be removed to provide access to the atomizing unit. In the modiedstructure of Figures 2, 3 and 4 the atomizer is likewise unitary.However, in this form the upper end of the stem 33 is threaded into thehead of the tool as a1; 3l' and in order to prevent inadvertent removalof the atomizing unit means are provided as shown in Figures 3 and 4 tolock the unit against rotation. Thus, it is impossible to rotate thestem in a direction to screw the stem outwardly from the head portion.The member 30 is notched around its periphery as at 3S and a springpressed latch 39 is provided for engaging the said notches. Latch 39 issuitably tted to the end of the stud shaft 6U, Figure 4, which ispositioned in the recess il formed in said tool so that the operator mayhave access thereto for depressing the said stud shaft against thetension of coil spring 42. Normally said coil spring maintains the latchin operative association with the notches on member 3D. Therefore,during operation of the tool rotation of the member and thus theatomizing unit is prevented. However, when it is desired to remove theunit from the reservoir for purposes of repair or the like, it is onlynecessary for the operator to depress the stud shaft 4D, therebyremoving latch 39 from engagement with notches 38 on member 30,

CFI

whereupon the unit can be rotated in a direction to unscrew the stemfrom the handle portion.

The spaced capillary members of the present device function to maintainan adequate supply of liquid for injection into the air stream in theform of a mist or nely divided spray and which will automaticallyincrease the quantity as the velocity of the air stream increases.

'I'he invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction ofthe particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawing, as variousother forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pneumatic tool having an air passage through the head portionthereof, means for lubricating the working parts of said tool includinga reservoir in said head portion in spaced relation to the air passage,means communicating with the air passage at one end and extending intothe reservoir at its other end, and capillary means including spacedmembers located in the reservoir and associated with the end of saidmeans extending into the reservoir, said means having a passagetherethrough connecting the air passage with the capillary space formedby said spaced members, whereby said capillary means maintains aconstant but limited supply of oil for delivery to the air streamflowing through said passage.

2. In a pneumatic tool having an air passage through the head portionthereof, means for lubricating the working parts of said tool includinga reservoir in said head portion in spaced relation to the air passage,means communicating with the air passage at one end and extending intothe reservoir at i-ts other end, spaced members Xed to the end of saidmeans extending into the reservoir and providing a capillary space, andsaid means having a bore extending therethrough connecting the airpassage with said capillary space, the said air passage producing asuction eiTect by the flow of elastic iiuid therethrough whereby oil isdrawn from said capillary space and injected into said air passage.

3. An atomizer for lubricating a pneumatic tool or the like having anair passage in the body portion and also having an oil reservoir spacedfrom said air passage, spaced members located in said oil reservoir andproviding a capillary space therebetween, said members being at leastpartly immersed in the oil in said reservoir whereby the oil is suppliedto the capillary space at all points around the periphery of said space,and means having a bore extending therethrough communicating with theair passage at one end and extending into the reesrvoir at its otherend, said spaced members having association with the extending end ofsaid means whereby said capillary space is connected byY said bore withthe a1r passage.

4. An atomizer for lubricating a pneumatic tool or the like having anair passage in the body portion and also having an oil reservoir spacedfrom said air passage, spaced members located in said oil reservoir andproviding a capillary space therebetween, said members being at leastpartly immersed in the oil in said reservoir whereby the oil is suppliedto the capillary space at all points around the periphery of said space,a stem projecting into the air passage at one end and extending into thereservoir at its other end, said spaced members being fixed to theextending end of said stem, and said stem having a bore therethroughconnecting the air passage with said capillary space, the end of saidstem projecting into the air passage being constructed and arranged toproduce a suction eiect by the flow of the elastic iiuid through thepassage to cause the oil in the capillary space to be injected into saidair passage.

5. An atomizer for lubricating a pneumatic tool or the like having anair passage in the body portion and also having an oil reservoir spacedfrom said air passage, spaced members located in said oil reservoir andproviding a capillary space therebetween, said members being at leastpartly immersed in the oil in said reservoir whereby the oil is suppliedto the capillary space at all points around the periphery of said space,means having threaded engagement with the body portion, said meanscommunicating with the air passage at one end and extending into thereservoir at its other end, said spaced members being associated withthe extending end of said means, and said means having a boretherethrough connecting the air passage with the capillary space.

6. An atomizer for lubricating a pneumatic tool or the like having anair passage in the body portion and also having an oil reservoir spacedfrom said air passage, spaced members located in said oil reservoir andproviding a capillary space therebetween, said members being at leastpartly immersed in the oil in said reservoir whereby the oil is suppliedto the capillary space at all points around the periphery of said space,means supported by said body portion and projecting into the air passageat one end and extending into the reservoir at its other end, one ofsaid spaced members being integral with said means, and said meanshaving a bore extending therethrough whereby the air passage isconnected to said capillary space, the end of said means projecting intothe air passage being constructed and arranged to produce a suctioneffect by the flow of thev elastic fluid through the passage to causethe oil from the capillary space to be injected into the air passage.

7. An atomizer, in combination, a body portion having an air passage andalso having an oil reservoir spaced from said air passage, meansextending from the air passage to the reservoir and having a boretherethrough, and spaced means fixed to the end of said means within thereservoir, said spaced means providing a capillary space havingcommunication with the bore extending through said means whereby saidcapillaryvspace is connected by said bore with the air passage.

HAROLD HOLMBOE. ANDY B. COSPER.

